Global Chess League 2025: Maurizzi triumphs in battle of prodigies to guide Kings to victory
It was down to the battle between the two prodigies. Marc’Andria Maurizzi won that battle against Volodar Murzin to ensure that Triveni Continental Kings won the tense match against Fyers American Gambits in the Global Chess League on Saturday.
After Alexandar Kosteniuk’s defeat to Teodora Injac, Maurizzi had to win. On the top board, Alireza Firouzja was held to a draw by Hikaru Nakamura, and the second-board game between Wei Yi and Vladimir Artemiev was also drawn. Vidit Gujrathi and Zhu Jiner drew their games, with Richard Rapport and Bibisara Assaubayeva respectively.
After the 8-7 victory in front of a full house at the Royal Opera House, Continental Kings, the winner of both the previous editions of the league, remained on top of the table with 18 match points and 78 game points.
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upGrad Mumba Masters is in second place with 12 match points and 68 game points. Following Mumba closely is Ganges Grandmasters in the third place with 12 match points and 66 game points.
In the bottom half, American Gambits has nine match points and 66 game points, Alpine SG Pipers has also nine match points, but 62 game points, and PBG Alaskan Knights nine match points and 52 game points.
The results:
PBG Alaskan Knights bt Ganges Grandmasters 9-7 (D. Gukesh drew with Viswanathan Anand; Arjun Erigaisi bt Vincent Keymer; Leinier Dominguez drew with Javokhir Sindarov; Kateryna Lagno lost to Polina Shuvalova; Sarasadat Khademalsharieh bt Stavroula Tsolakidou; Daniel Dardha drew with Ranuak Sadhwani).
Fyers American Gambits lost to Triveni Continental Kings 7-8 (Hikaru Nakamura drew with Alireza Firouzja; Vladimir Artemiev drew with Wei Yi; Richard Rapport drew with Vidit Gujrathi; Bibisara Assaubayeva drew with Zhu Jiner; Teodora Injac bt Alexandra Kosteniuk; Volodar Murzin lost to MarcAndria Maurizzi).
Fyers American Gambits bt upGrad Mumba Masters 16-1 (Hikaru Nakamura bt Maxime Vachier-Lagrave; Vladislav Artemiev bt Wesley So; Richard Rapport bt Shakhriyar Mamedyarov; Bibisara Assaubayeva bt Koneru Humpy; Teodora Injac bt D. Harika; Volodoar Murzin drew with Bardiya Daneshvar).
Ganges Grandmasters bt Alpine SG Pipers 10-9 (Anand drew with Caruana; Keymer bt Giri; Sindarov bt Praggnanandhaa; Shuvalova lost to Hou; Tsolakidou bt Batsiashvili; Raunak lost to Mendonca).
(The writer is in Mumbai on the invitation of Tech Mahindra)
Published on Dec 20, 2025